With their long, flexible canes and vigorous growth, few plants create the dreamy garden aesthetic that climbing roses do. But many gardeners don’t realize that the climbing rose category is quite diverse – including unique bloom forms, growth habits, color palettes, and fragrances. In this post, we’ll cover the major categories of climbing roses, their best uses, and featured products to help you choose the best climbing rose for your fence, wall, or other garden structure.
Climbing Roses at a Glance
With their long, flexible canes, climbing roses can be trained easily to grow along everyday garden fixtures or supports. They bloom repeatedly – boasting large, refined flowers throughout the growing season.
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Full sun: All roses need 6-8+ hours to grow vigorously.
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Well-draining soil: Roses hate having “wet feet.” Plant them in a spot with loamy soil to prevent root rot.
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Proper spacing: Plant climbing roses at least 4-5 feet apart from each other, and at least 12-18 inches away from its support. This will promote airflow and allow for healthy root development.
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Correct hardiness zone: Different roses grow better in different climates. Choose one that’s best suited to your rose hardiness zone.
Be careful not to mix up climbing roses and rambler roses. While used for similar purposes, they have unique characteristics. Climbers have bigger flowers that bloom repeatedly, while ramblers produce one large flush of smaller flowers.
How to Choose a Climbing Rose
Choosing the perfect climbing rose for your garden shouldn’t be based on appearance alone. Consider the following factors when making your selection, and your rose will achieve its maximum height:
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Growth habit & mature size: Match the height x spread and vigor to the space you want to fill.
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Bloom style & frequency: Do you envision large, exhibition-style blooms or clusters of smaller, delicate ones? Also decide whether you want a variety that flowers all season long or produces just one rich burst of blooms.
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Color palette: Group different shades of a single color – such as blush pink and crimson – for a sophisticated monochromatic look. Or use complementary colors for striking visual contrast.
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Fragrance: Consider whether you prefer bold, powerful aromas or more subtle scents.
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Disease resistance: What are your maintenance capabilities? Disease-resistant rose varieties often require less care.
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Support fit: Determine on which type of garden structure your rose will be climbing– such as a trellis, wall, fence, arch/pergola, or pillar.
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Zone & exposure: Do you live in a particularly hot, cold, or windy climate? Check your rose hardiness zone to choose a variety that will thrive where you live.
Major Types of Climbing Roses
With a wide variety of distinct subtypes, the world of climbing roses is more layered than it first appears. Let’s explore the major categories of climbing roses to narrow down your choice and bring your garden vision to life.
Large-Flowered Climbing Roses (Climbing Hybrid Tea / Grandiflora Forms)
With their long stems, certain hybrid tea and grandiflora varieties can be trained as climbers on trellises and arbors – growing 8-20 feet tall. Both forms feature large, repeat blooms – with hybrid teas producing one high-centered flower and grandifloras blooming in small clusters. These roses are incredibly versatile with their impressive range of color and fragrance.
Climbing Floribundas
A few special types of floribundas have tall, arching canes that can reach up to 14 feet – the most notable being the Iceberg rose. Its creamy white petals release a delightful blend of spicy and sweet notes into the air. And with massive clusters of repeat blooms, it’s perfect for adding modern elegance to walls, fences, and arches.
English / “Shrub-to-Climber” Roses (modern English types)
These varieties marry classic bloom form with contemporary genetics – creating roses that are fragrant, repeat-flowering, and hardy. They can be maintained to stay compact or trained to grow to medium height on walls, fences, pillars, and arches.
Modern Disease-Resistant Climbers
Many modern climbers are bred to be particularly resistant against common rose diseases like blackspot & powdery mildew. Typically lower maintenance due to their impressive hardiness, they’re great for busy gardeners without much time to dedicate to rose care. Modern disease-resistant climbers are often repeat-blooming and can be found in a wide range of color, bloom style, and fragrance.
Old Garden & Heritage-Type Climbers (Bourbon / Tea-influenced climbers)
With a history dating back to the 1800s, old garden roses add a nostalgic element to the modern day garden. They make a statement with their large booms, intensely sweet aroma, and color palette ranging from white to crimson. While most are once-bloomers, the bourbon variety stands out amongst old roses for being the first to bloom repeatedly throughout the season.
Thorn-Lighter / Easier-Handling Climbers
Excellent for entrance/walkways and other high-traffic areas, thorn-light roses are a safe choice for those with children and pets. With their smooth canes, these varieties are kind to bare hands – allowing for easier training. Fully-thornless roses may be difficult to find, but there are plenty of low-thorn options with a range of colors, fragrances, and bloom forms.
Cold-Hardy Climbers
Bred to survive the toughest of winters, cold-hardy climbing roses are perfect for gardeners in lower rose hardiness zones (2-5). With advanced genetics, they are often vigorous and disease resistant. Even though they’re naturally hardy, it’s important to provide a little winter protection to keep them cozy in extreme temperatures.
Heat-Tolerant / Sun-Hardy Climbers
Some rose varieties are built for hot climates and will continue to bloom in the summer heat – growing beautifully on fences, trellises, and pillars. Although they have a genetic advantage, they still need special summer rose care to keep them hydrated and avoid heat stress.
Pillar & Post-Friendly Climbers
Short-to-medium-sized climbing roses are ideal for pillars and posts – such as smaller ramblers or shrub types. Choosing roses of a smaller size will ensure their blooms enhance the structure rather than smother it.
Where They Shine: Match Type to Structure
The support you want to enhance should guide the rose you choose. While many climbers can be used to beautify any structure, here are our recommendations to make the most visual impact:
Fence runs: Climbing floribundas and modern disease-resistant climbers add bands of season-long color with their repeat blooms.
Walls/brick: Placed on sturdy straining wires, large-flowered climbers and English rose types add sophisticated visual impact to the facade of your home.
Arches/pergolas: Large-flowered climbers and English rose types also create fragrant overhead canopies with their repeat flushes.
Pillars/posts: Shorter ramblers and shrub roses with controlled vigor are excellent for winding gracefully up pillars and posts – creating beautiful floral symmetry.
Featured Climbing Roses
Decide which climber category is the perfect fit for your garden? We’ve picked the perfect rose for each one. Take a peek at our curated selection of roses that will breathe life into the vertical spaces in your garden.
Large-Flowered Climber: Popstar
Height/spread: 5 ft x 5 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Yellow/pink
Fragrance: Light
Best use: Arches/pergolas, walls, trellises, abors
Notable traits: Flowers repeatedly with large, multicolored blooms
English/Modern Shrub-Climber: Divina
Height/spread: 4 ft x 5 ft
Zones: 4-11
Bloom color: Pink
Fragrance: Strong
Best use: Walls, arches, trellises
Notable traits: Disease-resistant with medium-sized bloom
Disease-Resistant Climber: Perfume Breeze
Height/spread: 6 ft x 6 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Pink
Fragrance: Strong
Best use:
Arbors, pillars, fences
Notable traits:
Low maintenance, produces large flushes of small blooms
Cold-Hardy Climber: Winner Takes it All
Height/spread: 3 ft x 8 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Pink
Fragrance: Strong
Best use: Arbors, pergolas
Notable traits: Disease-resistant with large blooms
Heat-Tolerant Climber: Climbing Parfum Royal
Height/spread: 2 ft x 6 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Pink
Fragrance: Strong
Best use: Trellises, fences, walls
Notable traits: Disease-resistant with large/classic-shaped blooms
Thorn-Lighter Climber: Perenial Domino
Height/spread: 3 ft x 8 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Red
Fragrance: Light
Best use: Arches, trellises, doorways, trees
Notable traits: Disease-resistant with small magenta blooms
Pillar/Post Climber: Boheme
Height/spread: 2 ft x 5 ft
Zones: 5-11
Bloom color: Peach
Fragrance: Strong
Best use: Pillars, posts
Notable traits: Disease-resistant with large, ruffled blooms
Final Thoughts
Choose a rose that best complements your structure and is suited to your climate and maintenance capabilities. With the right training and proper care routine, your climber will gracefully ascend any support – clothing it in blooms from top to bottom. Visit April & Ashley to browse our entire selection of climbing rose bushes – shipped directly from our farm to your field.